After paring the leather label, you'll want/need to line it with a thin
Japanese paper. This will help preserve the dimensional stability of the
label and keep it from stretching or otherwise getting distorted. Paste out
the leather and apply to the Japanese paper. I let mine dry on mylar. Pops
right off when dry. Then stamp, and lightly edge pare. If your leather is
thin to begin with, there won't be much to take off. Apply with PVA.

Peter

At 02:07 PM 11/18/2004, you wrote:

Am trying to teach myself gold finishing on leather. I have John
Mitchell's book, and have had some success. I would like to make labels
for books and put it on the spine after I know the title is nice -
centered, etc. The trouble is that I have to pare the label edges after
the gold is done, and also when I put paste on the label it stretches
enough to cause some disintegration of the gold...someone tell me what I
am doing wrong...